It is “incredible” to have an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, Utah Senate candidate Trent Staggs, Mayor of Riverton, Utah, said during an appearance on Breitbart News Saturday, describing it as the “one of the most valuable currencies” a candidate can have.
Staggs, running for establishment Sen. Mitt Romney’s (R-UT) seat, expressed gratitude for his recent endorsement from the former president, who described Staggs as “100% MAGA.”
Trump wrote, in part:
A Highly Successful Entrepreneur, who has served brilliantly as Mayor of Riverton for the past six years, Trent knows how to Create Jobs, Stop Inflation, Grow the Economy, and Secure the Border. As your next Senator, Trent will help us Unleash American Energy, Support our Military/Vets, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. Trent Staggs has my Complete and Total Endorsement – He will be a GREAT Senator, and never let you down!
“It’s just incredible. I mean, huge. It’s something that I’ve been seeking for some time. You know, I came out and endorsed President Trump last summer just right near the beginning of my candidacy,” he said, noting that he had the stated goal of challenging now-outgoing Sen. Mitt Romney.
“I didn’t feel like he represented Utah very well at all. He was continuously just railing on President Trump. And we need somebody that’s going to have his back and be able to work with him and these other great America first senators so that we can advance his agenda. And that’s exactly what I stated I would do from the very beginning,” Staggs said, explaining that he received a phone call from Trump on the way to the state convention in April.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“What an incredible thing that is. I mean, it’s just one of the most valuable currencies I think we can have running for office, and even in this state of Utah, we saw a significant boost at the convention,” he said, describing the Trump effect.
“We ended up winning that, Matt, with 70 percent of the delegates there present. I mean, that is unprecedented. We’ve never seen an open Senate convention race in Utah that’s garnered more than 60 percent of the delegate vote, let alone 70 percent. And so quite, quite a huge impact to the campaign now that we’ve got that convention,” he said, noting that he still has one more hurdle: getting through the primary, as he does have challengers. However, he can win with a plurality, as Utah is not a runoff state. Further, Staggs believes the majority of the electorate in Utah supports Trump, which is why it is critical that voters know he is backed by the former president.
“We need to ensure that everybody understands that President Trump has endorsed my candidacy and that I’ve got a coalition already of America first senators that are also supportive, and I can go back and work with them day one, and really be able to advance his America first agenda and get this country back on track,” he said, emphasizing that his campaign is focused on standing up against the establishment.
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“That’s what’s typified my career. Now ten going on 11 years in elected office, also in business, but that really resonated with folks. They want that. People are hungry for it. They’re sick and tired of sending the same people to Washington that care more about their own self-preservation and self-interest than they do about representing the interests of the American people. And they know that I’ve got a proven track record of doing that, of standing up and representing the people at all costs, and so, we need to communicate that message,” he said.
“That does require money,” he continued, noting that lobbyists and PACs are supporting his opponents, and he realizes that the establishment wants more swamp creatures.
“I have signaled to the people in Utah, and I think — across the country — these people that I have sought endorsements from, I want to align myself with them,” he said, noting his alignment with conservative Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and others.
“They don’t want me in there. That’s why they got these other establishment creatures that they want to put in the seat and have them replace Mitt Romney,” he said of his opponents, previewing a future where conservatives are able to “work with President Trump advanced this America first agenda” on day one.
Breitbart News Saturday airs on SiriusXM Patriot 125 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern.